Ice and Fire: Myths and Heroes of the North
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| ENGL2002 | English | 2 | 20 | Autumn UK |
- Code
- ENGL2002
- School
- English
- Level
- 2
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Autumn UK
Summary
The gods, heroes and events of Norse mythology are well-known: Odin the one-eyed god of poetry and war, Thor who protects both gods and humans by crushing giants with his hammer, Freya the goddess of beauty who drives a chariot pulled by cats, the final destruction of the world in the ice and fire of Ragnarök; and human heroes like Sigurd the Serpent-Slayer. In this module you will study and analyse the key texts of Old Norse myth and legend from which these familiar stories come, along with pictorial versions in wood and stone from throughout the Viking world. The module will explore the development of Norse myth and legend from the Viking Age, through medieval Christian Iceland, and into more recent times.
Target Students
Only available to second-year students on SH and JH English programmes, including 2+2 programmes; students participating in exchanges from the School partner institutions; and second or third-year students on the Liberal Arts programme.
Classes
- One 1-hour seminar each week for 11 weeks
- One 2-hour lecture each week for 11 weeks
Assessment
- 20% Coursework 1: Coursework 1 - Portfolio of 3 pieces of seminar preparation (1,000 words)
- 80% Coursework 2: Coursework 2 - (2,500) word essay
Assessed by end of autumn semester
Educational Aims
In common with all Level 2 medieval provision, this module aims to provide students with:The opportunity to develop particular expertise in an area of medieval studies (A1, A2)Practice in reading literatures against different contexts, including political, cultural and theoretical (A5)Confidence in developing their own interpretations through attention to the detail of the texts under consideration (C1, B2)In addition, this module aims to provide students with:A survey of the various medieval text forms, in both poetry and prose, which provide evidence for Norse myth and legend (A5, C1)An introduction to the visual and material evidence for Norse myth and legend (A6)Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
- The methods of transmission and circulation of medieval texts and the particular challenges of interpretation associated with that evidence (C5, A6)
- Theoretical and historical approaches to the study of medieval languages and literatures (B3, C2, C3)
- The relationship between myth and religion (B3, C2, C3)
- The relationship between literary and material cultures (B3, C2, C3)
Intellectual skills
- The ability to argue a case using detailed evidence from a variety of material (C2, C3)
- The ability to apply contextual information in interpretation, while recognising the limits and challenges of that task (C2, C3)
Professional practical skills
- The ability to draw together a variety of sources (e.g. glossaries) appropriately to illuminate a question (C5)
- The ability to carry out independent and class-based research, evidenced in summative assessment (C4)
Transferable (key) skills
- The ability to identify a question and work out the information necessary to address it (D5)
- The ability to conduct self-directed study and present written findings clearly (D1, D2, D3, D6)